I Picked Up the Hero Who Banished Me - Chapter 64



63 – [A Brief Rest – 03]

“Indeed, you’re choosing to keep it secret.”

I received some haphazard treatment while listening to Livia’s story.

Roughly summarized:

Alex is acquainted with the God of Death and monsters. In other words, there’s a possibility he’s a traitor to the Human Alliance.

But, with Reina’s death, there’s no tangible evidence left.

Even if we tried to push Alex with the hero assassination, it would take quite some time.

Even if many people believe Livia, the hero, and eventually Alex is found guilty, that time in between is plenty for Alex.

If he’s really plotting something this massive, he’ll think nothing of human lives, making it even worse.

Therefore, we have to keep it hidden, find evidence not just for the hero assassination but also his betrayal of humanity, and detonate it at the perfect checkmate moment.

If that doesn’t work, we kill him while he’s still ‘Alex of the kingdom’ without revealing anything, ambushing him.

That seems to be what Livia has in mind.

Not bad.

Aside from the fact that it might be impossible for Livia to restore her honor, there wasn’t really any complaint, and even that honor didn’t seem to bother Livia herself much.

She probably cared before.

For Livia, who wants to be remembered as a perfect hero, saying she doesn’t care about honor would probably mean quite a bit.

“So what do you think, Royce?”

“If you’re okay with it, then it’s fine by me. I also think it’s better to leave Alex be for now, since I don’t know what he’ll do. It’s just, thinking about your feelings, it’s not easy.”

“Are you worrying about me?”

“Shouldn’t I?”

“……Hmm, this is embarrassing in its own way.”

I couldn’t understand why I was embarrassed when I did it every day.

Is it because of Alex?

“So, next I’m thinking of going to Erquia.”

“The City of Water, isn’t it.”

“Titania said that a Human Federation meeting is scheduled for three months from now, right?”

Titania said while drinking the tea I made.

“Indeed. …Hmm, you brew tea well. You can use spirit magic, have an excellent character, are patient, and not only that, you are also good-looking. A hero’s partner should be at least that.”

I don’t know why she rates me so highly, but I’m not that great, I just learned it from everyday life.

From noble mtl dot com

As for tea to drink, including coffee or black tea, Madam Florence used to like it.

To be precise, it started when I gave Madam Florence, who only drank every day, some shoddy green tea I made, telling her to drink that instead of alcohol because I was worried about her.

And after drinking that green tea, Madam Florence scolded me, saying it was bitter.

Still, I’d smile and drink it all down, and that was the start of me doing all sorts of things.

Most of the troublesome stuff in daily life, I could handle.

If my clothes tore, I could mend them, and not just that, I was picking up all kinds of odd skills. After I started living alone, there was no harm in learning them anyway.

“Royce, I just realized something.”

“What’s that?”

“The fact you didn’t deny being Titania’s partner…it makes me feel like you might think pretty well of me, a hunch.”

“…Ah, yeah.”

“That ‘I shouldn’t have brought that up’ look is genuinely hurtful, you know? But wait, at least, I want to spend our first night after taking the elixir.”

Somehow, it feels like we had a similar conversation before.

“You have that kind of girlish romance, huh?”

“Sylphy, what are you talking about? …Tch, come to think of it, I’ve never really thought about it. I’ve always lived as a hero, so I don’t really get that ‘as a woman, blah blah blah’ stuff. Royce, do you think we absolutely *have* to have a wedding?”

“If the bride wants it, then we’ll do it.”

“What’s your personal opinion?”

“Is it necessary?”

“I think the same.”

Not that I’d treat someone who *did* want one like an idiot or anything, but I personally didn’t think there was a need to throw some huge lavish thing.

It would cost a lot of money and just be tiring for no reason. And personally, I don’t like being around a lot of people.

I’d rather just stay home and read, interacting with people face to face makes me exhausted.

It was okay to some extent once I got close to people, but even then, I needed my alone time.

“Anyway, I hope we can find Alex soon, but should we just go into the capital and beat him up?”

“The royal capital has a barrier using the city walls, and a double barrier protecting the castle. How do you intend to break through? Even if you shatter the castle’s barrier, it regenerates immediately unless you destroy the core.”

“……”

“Yes, if it’s Livia, she might somehow get in, but the moment she does, Alex will realize it’s you. I believe that an assassination method is the most sensible option.”

It wasn’t that I had nothing to say, but what I wanted to say was nothing compared to the danger of what Alex was about to do.

“In the end, it’s best if Alex comes out. If we could meet somewhere deserted, that would be ideal, though.”

“Even if you meet, he might have a means of teleportation. If he runs away, it could truly be irreversible.”

“Hmm, I really don’t see a good way.”

Reina was dead, and the Elvenheim attack had ended in failure.

Moreover, since Livia had lifted her curse and was no longer living on borrowed time, Alex was surely growing impatient. He’d be preparing something, but that’s only to be used when we make a move.

Because he wants to protect his power, he’ll prepare countermeasures for when we move, but he won’t make a blatant move first.

“We can’t know if Alex will come to Erchia.”

“At least Belita will come, won’t she?”

“I need a little more certainty.”

“There’s also a chance Alex might just hole up. That’d be annoying. Because of his pride, he’ll show up at public events, so how about ambushing him when he’s marching in the procession?”

“There’ll be a lot of people there.”

“I’ll take out Alex in one shot.”

“……”

I thought about it for a moment.

Alex was extreme, and he had a narrow way of thinking, but he wasn’t stupid. Once he set his mind on a goal, he would do anything to achieve it.

He had always been like that, and his obsession was truly astonishing.

If that’s the case, even if he shows up at the event and faces people, it’s highly likely he’d have something prepared, just in case.

“I don’t know how much Alex knows, or what he’s up to, but he’s definitely connected to the monsters and the Reaper Cult. In the worst case, Alex himself might’ve even received the Reaper’s power.”

“…….”

“If that’s true, he won’t die easily. Right now, Olivia might have a hard time killing him in one blow.”

“That means if Olivia-nim was in her normal state…”

“She probably could, right?”

Especially with a surprise attack.

How many people could evade a surprise attack from Olivia in her prime, when she’d thrown everything away to kill? Not many, whether human or monster.

More people might avoid it through sheer luck than skill.

“…….”

“Royce? What’s wrong?”

“……No, just a second.”

“Okay.”

Something clicked in my head.

Is there a chance?

No, it could be just some delusion, but it was worth trying.

Right now, we needed Alex’s exact location, and we needed it to be stable and unchanging.

“The Reina I remember wasn’t stupid.”

“That’s right.”

“Where is Reina’s house?”

“Just across that tree, you think it’s right there?”

“What’s wrong, Royce? You think there’s something at the house? Gias would’ve made sure nothing was left behind.”

“Gias isn’t an all-powerful tool. Sure, once you’re hit you’re practically a slave, but there might be ways to cleverly avoid the conditions Alex set.”

“Wh-what is it, then?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know what kind of conditions Alex imposed on Reina either.”

But Reina knows.

It’s been quite a while since she was hit with the Gias.

“Maybe there’s nothing, but we might find something out if we go.”

“Alright, I don’t understand, but I understand.”

Which one is it?

“Then let’s go, Silphy, wanna come?”

“Huh? Can I come too?”

“Why the sudden formality?”

He’s still unbelievably generous to those he’s opened his heart to.

Weak, even.

He acts pretty friendly with people he’s gotten close to, and if they get angry, he’d shrink and tremble like crazy.

He had a bit of that tendency before, but even after being betrayed once, he still has it, and it seems to have gotten even worse.

He was just a puppy by nature, this person.

And closer to a pet someone would keep, than a guard dog the guards would raise.

He’s lived his life like a guard dog, but his nature was more that of a pet dog.

It might’ve actually boosted my rep as a hero to just travel around like *that*.

“Anyway, guess we should get up soon. Titania, you take care too.”

“……Hmm, hold on.”

“What’s wrong? Is there something you wanted to say….”

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I think I’ve been Titania for too long.”

“Well, yeah, that’s probably true.”

“While I have been living longer by borrowing the power of the World Tree, it’s true my lifespan is nearing its limit. I need to start finding a successor soon.”

*She extended her life?*

That’s amazing.

There was even a guy who used curses to try to extend his lifespan, and when he went past his natural one, he was in so much pain he killed himself. So it *is* thanks to the World Tree.

Hmm.

But with this flow, I knew exactly what Titania was going to say.

“Huh?”

“Y-yes! Grandmother, I think you’ve been doing it for too long. I think it would be good for you to rest, since you must be tired.”

It seemed like Livia and Sylphy hadn’t caught Titania’s intention.

They probably just thought “Is she stepping down?” or something like that.

*Cough*, Titania coughed a few times, then reached her hand out towards Sylphy.

Sylphy just naturally walked over to Titania.

Then, Titania took Sylphy’s hand.

“Sylphy, you not only grasped the Star Bow, but you used it properly to fight enemies. At that point, you are fully qualified to be Titania… no, Oberon. I want you to become the new king of Elvenheim.”

That was a courageous thing to say.

Giving away what you’ve been shouldering all this time, even if it’s a relief, must have been a pretty tough choice.

In that moment, as if a throne was being passed on, Titania, looking at Sylphy, said:

“You can be honest, Sylphy. Speak your mind.”

“Uh, no thanks?”

“Hm?”

“No, I’ve only ever seen Grandma suffer! If I went up there, all I’d get is psychological torment. Why would I want to?”

“…….”

Titania had a slightly surprised look.

She’d considered the possibility of being refused, but she didn’t expect such an immediate answer, and for the reason that it would be too hard.

Titania was silent for a moment before saying:

“I didn’t think you’d refuse so honestly.”